Forget the propaganda. Becks is not fit to wear Bobby's cap

Favourite son of London's East End. Finest legend of West Ham. National treasure. Master of Wembley. Lord of the game. Captain extraordinary. Gentleman for all time.

It was my honour to write this inscription for the statue of Bobby Moore at Wembley. Nostalgia gripped many of us as we settled into our seats in the new stadium on Saturday, opened the match programme and read a tribute to the mighty captain who, beneath the old Twin Towers, raised England's only World Cup aloft.

That warm feeling gave way to a sense of injustice come the start of the second half against Slovakia. As David Beckham pranced out to break Moore's outfield record of 108 England caps with yet another of his part-time appearances, the proudest moment in our football history and the memory of its most commanding player were sold out to the spurious cult of celebrity.

Proud: England captain Bobby Moore holds the Jules Rimet Trophy aloft after leading his team to a 4-2 victory over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final

Worse, at the conclusion of a very friendly 4-0 victory came something close to an obscenity. Beckham, whose false succession to Moore's throne has been built on substitute cameos, tarried on that turf to hog the photo opportunity. As is his wont.

He then had the temerity to say: 'I'm very proud to be up there above Bobby Moore.'

Above Moore? In whose estimation? His own and of those supporters deceived by the most extravagant propaganda campaign ever orchestrated on behalf of a sportsman.

Moore's achievements were hallmarked by the sterling performances of the full 90-minute man. To keep his greatness in perspective, the record books should register an asterisk alongside the statistic of Beckham's total caps.

It is not my intention to belittle Beckham, only to cast him in his proper place behind the absurd ballyhoo. I have praised and chastised him in turn, commending his singlehanded rescuing of England's place in the 2002 World Cup finals with his stand-out game against Greece, but lamenting the betrayal of his most saving grace, his work ethic, when he turned up overweight for Euro 2004.

He has been a very good but not great player, limited as he is by his one-footedness and lack of pace. If our game involved a dedicated dead-ball kicker he would have his place but he is physically on the wane and his one cross - gratefully swallowed up by a Wayne Rooney who was totally unmarked by a feeble Slovakia defence - is not of itself the promise of a 2010 World Cup summer.

Beckham has flattered to deceive since his peak seasons at Old Trafford. Now, on his transatlantic jaunts between the dollar and the euro, he is even more brand than substance.

In the improbable event that they erect his statue, the wording should go something like this: Celebrity husband of fashion icon. Symbol of the Me Generation. Treasure hunter. Milker of Wembley crowd. Pampered princeling. Captain who won nothing for England. Most overpaid footballer of all time.

No doubt our readers can improve on that. A bottle of champagne goes to the best inscription for Beckham's 109th cap as submitted to the comments section below.